Hounslow Council is moving forward with plans to deliver a total of six new padel courts to the Council’s racquet sports offer, at two of the Council’s leisure centres.
The two leisure centres are:
- Hanworth Leisure Centre, two of four tennis courts to be converted to three padel courts
- Isleworth Leisure Centre, also two of four tennis courts to be converted to three new padel courts
The game is played on smaller courts and with lighter racquets than in tennis. It can help players increase their fitness and strength while also being joint friendly and accessible to people of a wide range of ages and abilities.
The estimated capital cost for the new courts is £950,000 and the projected additional income across the two leisure centres is £1.4 million*, delivering value for money over four years.
Following the announcement of funding approval for the new courts Tuesday, 20 January, the Council will be consulting with local people and putting the project to the planning team.
It is currently estimated that the new courts will be available for spring/summer 2027 and Council partner, Lampton Leisure, will manage the new offer on behalf of the Council.
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, said:
I'm proud we are investing nearly £1 million to bring padel to our leisure centres, in Isleworth and Hanworth, for the first time. There can be no greater investment than in the health and wellbeing of our residents.
By building these new courts, this hugely popular, and rapidly growing sport, accessible to a wide range of ages and abilities, will be opened up to more people in Hounslow, giving residents more ways to keep fit and have fun.
I'm told everyone from David Beckham to Serena Williams and Emmanuel Macron are padel fans, so why not join them. I guess I'd best learn how to play the thing too.
The Council’s current usage data shows a significant decline in tennis participation, with court occupancy falling by 27 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. This underutilisation presents an opportunity to repurpose existing assets to meet changing community needs and preferences.
Hounslow Council aims to add padel to its existing offer of racquet sports which include tennis, badminton, squash, and similarly popular pickleball, which local people can play at Brentford and Osterley Leisure Centres.
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